10 different ways to not appear like a lost tourist abroad

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Appearing and behaving like a tourist brings with it a set of challenges. With many people flocking to different locations, the regular life and ecosystem at tourist spots get disrupted. Locals feel out of place and end up disliking tourists. You surely don’t want to be despised as a lost tourist abroad as that will make your vacation difficult.

Looking like a tourist also makes you prone to getting coned and dragged into sale scams. Wouldn’t you rather spend your trip experiencing local culture?

We give you the following list of etiquette and rules that will help you blend in with the locals and not appear as a lost tourist abroad.

1. Don’t carry that obvious ‘I am a tourist waist pouch’

Don’t wear that waist pouch which declares that you are a tourist and carrying money in it. This increases the likelihood of you getting targeted by purse snatchers as well. Instead, carry a normal sling bag which wouldn’t attract much attention and will also store all your essentials. Also, carry a comfortable bag so that you aren’t weighed down if you have to do a lot of walking.

2. Don’t Get drunk

Getting drunk in public is frowned upon in mainland Europe and in most parts of Asia. When you are holidaying in these Asian and European countries try to enjoy alcohol only in pubs and bars. Also, in some conservative places, try not to display the alcohol even when you are carrying it from one place to another.

3. Do your homework and smarten up

Don’t carry those maps and stand in the middle of city square staring at the maps. Read a little about the places you will be visiting, and use google maps in case you are going to be walking or cycling to all the places.

Just don’t be that person who bumps into everyone who is walking on the road just because their eyes are fixed on the map.

4. Stay with the locals

Use Airbnb to stay with the locals and learn a little more about the culture and the place. You will also be able to get some information about the places that are only known to locals when you rent locally.

5. Eat at local restaurants

Eating at local restaurants is a great way to blend in with the local culture. But try not to be too fussy about the food and try to read a little bit about the local menu before you visit the restaurant. So that you don’t waste too much time asking about every ingredient that goes into your food.

6. Go somewhere different

It’s very tempting to want to go to all the places your friends have been to. But it’s always a good idea to ditch the obvious tourist destinations occasionally.

Places that are not famous tourist destinations might not have too many tourists at these places. You will be welcomed warmly for being one of the few guests they receive.

7. Learn how to greet and ask basic questions in the local language

Learning how to greet and how to ask basic questions will be very helpful while holidaying in a foreign land. It will also help you to save some costs you would have spent for a translator. If you don’t learn the local language, be ready to ask endless questions.

8. Travel out of season

If you don’t want to be a part of the big tourist flocks and attract attention from everyone around, then always try to travel out of season. You can also avoid the crowd and get reasonable deals on your accommodation and travel packages when you travel offseason.

9. Not taking pics and too many selfies

This is hard to do but don’t carry that ‘I am a tourist’ wand around and click selfies on a selfie stick. By that, we don’t mean that abandon all your cameras and phones but try not to click 100 pics at one place with different poses.

It’s okay to carry a polaroid or click few pics on a phone to store your travel memories but just don’t overdo it.

10. Follow the local schedule

Try to figure what happens when in the cities you are going to visit. For example, if some place has a schedule of having an early lunch then stick to it. Try to have lunch during that time or just get it packed and eat whenever you want to. Just don’t ask for it when everybody else is sipping on their evening coffee.

Keeping a tab on the local schedule will also save you from getting stuck at unusual places or trips on empty streets to get essentials you need.

Looking like a tourist comes with a price. So, try to blend in with the local culture and enjoy your trip in its entirety. If you still have any doubts about the place you are going to travel to, book your vacation through Thomas Cook and get all the insights from our travel agents about all the places you are going to visit.